Automatic machine for the processing of artichokes

ABSTRACT

Automatic machine for the processing of artichokes comprises a base rotatably supporting a main horizontal turntable to which the artichokes are clamped during processing and a service turntable on the cups of which the artichokes are placed by hand. Means arranged to move intermittently and in synchronism the main and service turntable are provided. The processing stations including the station for loading and positioning the artichokes on the turntable, are located on the base peripherally with respect to the main turntable. Means for loading and positioning the artichokes on the main turntable, comprising a first cylinder-piston unit located under the service turntable and aligned with the vertical axis of the loading station to the rod of said cylinder-piston unit being fixed an engagement element for raising the artichoke up to the level of main turntable, and a second cylinder-piston unit located above the turntable and in alignment with the first cylinder-piston unit, supported by a slide which can move vertically with respect to the base, on the rod of which is fixed an end element arranged to rest on the bottom of the artichoke located on the cup of the service turntable, and to rise while maintaining itself resting against the artichoke until it exactly positions this latter in the main turntable.

United States Patent Bertonelli 1 Sept. 30, 1975 Primary Examiner-John W. Huckert Assistant Eraminer-Stuart S. Levy Attorney, Agent, or FirmBrisebois & Kruger [75] lnventor: Gianni Bertonelli, Parma, Italy [73] Assignee: F B R S.r.l., Pancrazio. Italy [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: 1972 Automatic machine for the processing of artichokes [21] Appl. No.: 284,093 comprises abase rotatably supporting a main horizon- I I tal turntable to which the artichokes are clamped dur- P ing processing and a service turntable on the cups of [30] n Apphcamn which the artichokes are placed by hand. Means ar- Sept-25. 1971 Italy 46894-71 ranged to move intermittently and in synchronis'm the main and service turntable are provided. The process- 52 us. Cl. 198/24; 83/404; 99/636; ing stations including the station for loading and posh 198/210; 269/57 tioning the artichokes on the turntable, are located on 8 47/82; 8 29/00; 15/04 the base peripherally with respect to the main turntal Field of Search 99/486 ble. Means for loading and positioning the artichokes 99/635437, 547; on the main turntable, comprising a first cylinder- 83/404i269/57; 198/19, 0 24 piston unit located under the service turntable and l aligned with the vertical axis of the loading station to References Clted the rod of said cylinder-piston unit being fixed an engagement element for raising the artichoke up to the UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 level of main turntable, and a second cylinder-piston 2,204,846 6/1940 Dotta 99/636 X unit located above the turntable and in alignment with 10/1940 rey t u 99/636 X the first cylinder-piston unit, supported by a slide 2.342.13 2/1944 Erickson 99/636 X which can move vertically with respect to the base, on 2,716,480 8/1955 Dona... 99/636 X the rod of which is fi d an end element arranged to Wooldrrdgc est o e b m. of the ar o e ted on he p g ggi of the service turntable. and to rise while maintaining 3:586:08] 6/l97l Loveland et al. 99/546 P agilmst the exactly I tions this latter in the main turntable.

3 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures -a9 42 4 34 35 36 4V 7 20 32 350 43 F a v US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheetlof 10 3,908,813

Sheet 2 0f 10 Sept. 30,1975

US. Patent US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet30f 10 3,908,813

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet4of 10 3,908,813

U.S.-Patent Scpt.30,1975 Sheet6ofl0 3,908,813

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet7of 10 3,908,813

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet80fl0 3,908,813

U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet9of 10 3,908,813

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 10 (mo 3,908,813

' I lmlllL i AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR'TI-IE PROCESSING OF ARTICI-IOKES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION shape, and subsequently the points of the artichoke must be cut. An artichoke bottom" or heart will be obtained depending upon whether the points are cut close to the bottom or not, and also depending upon the shape given to this latter by the turning operation The technical problems which arise when said processing is required to be carried out mechanically depend mainly on the need to automatically grip and position the artichokes in a suitable manner. g

. A further order of problem arises from the need to make the artichokes, after suitable gripping, available for successive processing. Machines have been -designed for this purpose which comprise processing stations positioned on aturntable, or on a straight transfer chain, but known solutions all give rise to disadvantages deriving from the imperfect positioning of the artichokes, the impossibility of mechanically carrying out said positioning precisely, and the difficulty of driving and controlling the turntableor straight conveyor on which the artichokes are placed.

.The present invention relates to an improved machine which offers a convenient solution to all the aforementioned problems, making the complete and automatic processing of artichokes effectively possible, with great advantage to their production costs.

The merits and operational and constructional characteristics of the invention will be more evident from the detailed description which follows of a possible preferred embodiment of the machine given by way of non-limiting example, and illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings. I

FIG. 1 is a lateral view of the machine,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line IIIIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 shows the mechanism for intermittently driving the turntable;

FIG. 6 is a section on the line VIVI of FIG. 5;

Flg. 7 is a detail of the stem removal device;

FIG. 8 is a detail of the device for turning the bottom;

FIG. 9 shows part of the positioning device;

. FIG. 10 shows the hydraulic operating diagram of the machine;

FIG. 11 is a schematic illustration of the processing of a heart;

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of the processing of a bottom;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a shutter;

FIG. 14 is a section through said shutter;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the operating cam for the shutters, with its extremity pivoted and oscillating;

FIG. 16 is a diagram showing the times of operation and the actions of the pneumatic system.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1, 2, "3 and 4 of the aforementioned figures, these show the base 1 of the machine, generally formed of cast iron, inside which is situated the processing turntable for the artichokes, as will be described in detail hereinafter.

This base carries an auxiliary turntable 3 pivoted laterally at 2, for loadingthe artichokes on tothe main turntable. Upperly the base 1 carries a loading station 4, a station for cutting the stem and preparation of the bottom 5, a station for processing the bottom 6, and a station for cutting off the points of the artichoke 7. At the side of the base 1 there is the unloading and removal-station for the artichokes 8. Between this latter and the loading turntable 3 there is a tray 9 into which the artichokes to be processed are thrown, an operator then inserting them individually into the seats 23 of the turntable 3. I

In FIGS. 3 to 6 it canbe seen that inside the base 1, and at the centre of it, there is a central shaft 11 supported by the base, and free to rotate about-its own axis.

A wheel 12 is fixed and locked on the .shaft 11 and comprises at its periphery eight equidistant notches 13 .(see also FIGS. 4 and 6). Said wheel 12 is embraced by fork 14 free to rotate about the shaft 11, and within which there is a cylinder-piston unit 15, the rod. of which operates a bolt 16 shaped in such a manner as to enteror withdraw from the'notches 13. The. fork is made to oscillate by a cylinder-piston unit 17, by way of which it is connected to the base 1. A I

From thebase l is derived 'a fixed cylinder-piston unit 18, not visible in FIG. 5, which operates a bolt 118 also arranged to enter the notches l3, andalways acts in opposition to the cylinder 15. I

The operation of the complex .isevident, the shaft 1 1 being driven with discontinuous stepwise motion by the oscillations of the fork l4, and being blocked during the rest periods of the bolt 118. i

The cylinder-piston unit 18, in its blocking position, pushes against the key 188, visible only ,in FIG. 10. Likewise the cylinder-piston unit 17, in its end position, operates the keys 117 and 177, visible in FIG. 5. T

At its upper end the shaft 1 1 supports a circular plate 19 constrained to rotate with it and from which at its periphery extend eight circular members 20 for gripping the artichokes, and which may be called shutter mandrels.

A gear wheel 21, keyed on to the shaft 11, is connected by a suitable chain drive'to a like wheel 22 rigid with the loading or auxiliary turntable 3, which comprises eight cups 23 and moves stepwise and in perfect synchronism with the plate 19. Each cup 23 consists of a cylinder within which a plurality of peripheral resilient vertical strips supports by friction the artichoke which is inserted between them.

Each gripping member 20 consists of three annular overlying plates, of which the upper 24 and lower 25 are fixed, and carry pivoted three curved levers 26 with knurled ends which are moved in synchronism as they are individually engaged by means of the pin 27 with one of three slots 28 formed in the central plate 29. This latter is able to carry out small rotations, being supported by three peripheral grooved rollers 30 placed between the plates 24 and 25. An appendix 31 'of the plate 29 can transmit oscillations to it.

The appendix 31 is connected by a shaped connecting rod, not shown in the figure, to a rod 32 rotated within a cylindrical guide 33 fixed to the plate I9. The rod 32 is pushed towards the outside of the plate 29 by a spring in the guide 33. A radial pin extends from the rod 32 and emerges from the cylindrical guide 33 through an upper slot in it. and on it is mounted the wheel 34.

This latter rests against a cam 35, which is substantially circular. except for one section, and is fixed to the base 1. In this manner the cam 35 causes the rod 32 to perform radial transversing movements and consequently to open or close the gripping members.

Said cam 35 is perfectly circular over approximately three quaters of its development, whereas the last section approaches its centre. The final section 35a of this latter is pivoted, and is able to join up with the initial section by the action of the cylinder-piston unit 36.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 9, the loading station can be partially seen in the form ofa vertical section. I

It consists of the loading turntable 3, which as already seen carries peripherally eight equidistant cups 23. The circle passing through the centre of said cups 23 is tangential to the circle passing through the centre of the gripping members or shutter mandrels 20. Moreover the turntable 3, which as seen derives its motion from the shaft 11, is positioned in such a manner that a cup 23 and a mandrel 20 always correspond in position at the point of tangency between the two said circles, for each'step of forward motion of the turntable and plate.

The artichoke is positioned by hand in a cup 23, and must then be transferred and exactly positioned beneath the shutter mandrel 20 when this latter is exactly over the cup.

This transfer with exact positioning takes place according to the invention in the .following manner, by means of the devices described; on the common axis of the cup and shutter, below the loading turntable 3, is a cylinder-piston unit 37 directly fixed to the base 1, and on the rod of which, facing upwards, there is a cup member 38 arranged to engage with the points of the artichoke. The member 38 can be adjusted in height with respect to its own support rod.

The base 1 supports above the shutter mandrel 20 a hollow cylindrical body 39 within which slides a slide 40, driven by the cylinder-piston unit 41 (see also FIG. 9).

The slide 40 supports, external to the cylindrical body 39, a second cylinder-piston unit 42, to the rod of which is fixed the element 43, shaped so as to adapt itself to the bottom of the artichoke. The cylinder-piston unit 42 is adjustable in height with respect to the slide 40, it being fixed to it by two rods 44 inserted into suitable seats in the slide 40, and slidable vertically over a certain section of the slide because of the micrometric screw not shown in the figure.

The lower end of the rod of the cylinder-piston unit 37 which emerges at both ends of the cylinder carries a shaped element 45 arranged to operate the keys 137, 337 and 377 (see also FIG. Likewise the rod of the cylinder-piston unit 42 carries upperly an element 46 which operates in the limiting positionthe keys 442 and 422. Is is evident that the rods of the cylinder-piston units 37 and 42 are perfectly aligned one with the other and with the common axis of the shutter mandrel and cup 23. The operation of the device will be explained hereinafter.

,At approximately 60 from the loading station heretofore described there is the station 5 for preparing the bottom and cutting the stem (see FIGS. 2 and 7). This station consists of a circular blade 49 directly connected to the shaft of an electric motor 50. supported by a slide which slides on two vertical columns 51.

The motor 50 is suspended from a sleeve 52 in which meshes a screw 53 supported by an upper erosspiece 54. The crosspiecc 54 is rigid with two gussets 55 extendingfrom the base 1. By rotating the knurled grip 56, rigid with the screw 53, the height of the motor 54 and blade 49 can be adjusted.

At approximately 135 from the loading station there is the station for processing the bottom (ie turning it to a truncated conical or spherical cap shape). From FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 it can be seen that this station consists of a cutting tool of a particular shape, 57, which is fixed to the lower end of a shaft 58. The tool 57 is a single cutting tool consisting of a support which internally reproduces the shape of the bottom which is to be formed. The blade is shaped and disposed in such a manner as to generate the desired surface (conical or spherical cap) cutting down to the axis of rotation of the knife, and is arranged to create cutting forces which tend to repel the piece which has been processed so that this latter is not entrained by the tool during its return stroke.

The shaft 58 is rigid in the axial direction, by means of suitable shoulders, with a slide 59, which is guided within a suitable seat formed in a cap 60 fixed to the base 1. I

The slide 59 is rigid with the rod of a cylinder-piston unit 61 supported by a slide 62 which slides on two rods 63. The position of the slide 62 is adjustable in height with respect to the base 1 by the micrometric screw 64, which screws into a suitable seat in the slide. The screw 64 is engaged axially with a plate 66 supported above the base 1 by suitable uprights 67. It is clear that by means of the screw 64 the lower limiting position of the tool 57 is adjustable.

The upper part of the shaft 58 is grooved so as to rotate with a pulley 65, and with respect to which it can slide axially. This pulley is supported by suitable bearings by the plate 66, and is engaged by means of a suitable belt drive 68 with a pulley 69, keyed on to the shaft of an electric motor 70 also supported by the plate 66.

At approximately 195 from the loading station there is the station 7 for cutting off the points of the artichoke. This station can be seen in FIG. 4 and consists of a circular blade 71 keyed on to the shaft of an electric motor 72 supported on a bracket 73 fixed to the base 1, and adjustable in height with respect to it.

At approximately 45 from the station 7 the artichokes fall on to a belt conveyor 74 which removes them, and brings them to a set of rollers 75 forming an inclined surface, and these remove the peripheral leaves from the artichoke which have already been separated by the preceding operations.

FIG. 10 shows the pneumatic operating and control diagram for the machine. showing the connections between the various described cylinder-piston units and between these latter and the respect operating valves, which are indicated by the same reference numeral as the cylinder-piston unit concerned, with the addition of the letter a. For example the control valve of the cylinder-piston unit 18 is indicated by the reference numeral l8aandsoon. 1

The operation of the machine will now be described with particular referenceto the pneum'atio diagram of FIG. 10 and the diagram of FIG. 16.,

In the description which follows the initial position is that in which the plate 19 carrying the shutter mandrels 20 is at rest, with one of the mandrels 20 exactlya'bove a cup 23 and anartichoke already positioned in the mandrel 20.-.

Under these conditions thesituation is as follows:

The cylinder-position. units 42 'and 41 are in the raised position; u

the cylinder-piston unit 37 is in the lowered position;

the cylinder-piston unit 18 is in the forward position and blocks the wheel 12;. v

the cylinder-piston units 15 and 17 are in the backward and forward position respectively, ready to block thewheel 12 and drive it through one step;

the cylinder-piston unit 61 for the turning .is raised;

the cylinder-piston unit 36 which operates the mobile sector of the closing cam for the shutters is withdrawn, as the mandrel above the cup is closed.

With these conditions .established, the cylinder- I piston units 15, 17 and 18, are simultaneously operated,

and the piston 18 withdraws so unblocking thewheel 12,'the piston 15 enters therespectivej notch 13 in the wheel and .thepiston 17 withdraws, driving the wheel 12 through one step. A cam 112 situated on the wheel rotates and operates the key 122 which sends a command to the distributor or operating valve 36a which switches the cylinder-piston unit 36 into the position which places the mobile part of the cam 35 in such a position that the next mandrel 20 arriving at the load-.

ing station is open.

Having arrived at its limiting position, the piston 17 operates the key 117 which sends a signal to the valve 18a, which moves the piston 18 forward and blocks the wheel 20 after the stepwise movement.

When the piston 18 reaches its limit, the key 188 operates and simultaneously transmits a command to the valve 17a for the return into position of the pistons 15 and 17, both controlled by it; to the valves 41a and 42a for the lowering of the relative pistons until the end of the rod of the piston 42 rests on the artichoke situated in the cup 23; to the valve 61a, which lowers the cutting unit operated by the piston 61 into the respective station.

When the piston 42 has reached the lower limit it opcrates the key 422, which gives the command to the,

valve 37a for raising the piston 37. This on rising first operates the key 337, which gives the command to the valve 42a for again raising the piston 42, and then the key 377, which sends a signal to the valve 36a for operating the piston 36 so causing the mandrel 20 to clamp the artichoke which has just been transferred. to it, gripped between the two ends of the rods of the pistons 37 and 42. e

The piston 36, in its limiting position corresponding to the clamping operation, operates the key 366 which gives the command to the valves 37a and 41a for the re-entry of the respective pistons. The valves 36a and 61a are also connected in such a manner that as soon as the mandrel is locked by the action of the piston 36, the piston 61 begins to rise again for controlling the cutting.

lower limiting position.

This latter key'137,'connected in seriesdownstream of the=said keys 161,177, 442 and 441, gives the command for the solenoid valve 17a, which operates the pistons 15 and 17 causing the rotation of the wheel 12. Together with the command for the operation of said pistons is'transmitted the command for the re-entry of the piston 18. The succession of operations listed above is'better seen from the illustrated diagram of FIG. 16.

' In view of the description given abo've, it is clear that the artichokes are individually loaded byhandinto the cups 23 of the turntable 3; then asthexrelativ cup23 comes into alignment with a mandrel 21, both the pistons 41 and'42 are lowered until the element 43 comes linto fcontact with the artichoke. Thepiston 42 isadjust able in height wi'threspect to the slide 40 so asftoadjust the final position of the element 43' to the average dimensjons of the artichokes being processed;

At this point the element 38 located on the rod-o f the piston. 37 rises,.a'nd the artichokebecomesgripped between. 38 and 43whieh raise it to the inside of the mandrel 20 This closes under the action of the piston 36. The pistons 37 and 41 withdraw completely and the plate 19 carries out one stepwise movement forward.

During the halt periods the artichokes appear at the cutting and loading stations, and during transfer periods they undergo cutting of the bottom and points. The succession of operations for the machine illustrated is shown in FIG. 11, the result being a heart.

If however a bottom" is required then the knife which cuts the points must be moved above the mandrel 20, as shown in FIG. 12.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and modifications and improvements may be made to it without leaving the scope of the invention, the characteristics of which are summarised in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic machine for the processing of artichokes comprising a base, a main turntable rotatably supported on said base by a main shaft, and a plurality of stations for treating artichokes successively spaced adjacent the peripheral portion of said turntable, the improvement which comprises:

a service turntable rotatably mounted near one side of said main table, with the peripheral portions of said tables overlapping at one point during their rotation, and said service turntable being provided with a plurality of artichoke receiving means spaced about its periphery,

said main turntable comprising a plurality of artichoke gripping means distributed about the peripheral portion of said main turntable and spaced from each other by a distance equal to the distance between said stations,

means for rotating said turntables intermittently and in synchronism to bring gripping means on said main turntable and artichoke receiving means on from said receiving means to said gripping means when said alignment occurs,

said gripping means comprising two superposed stationary plates with a movable plate rotatably mounted between them. said plates defining registering apertures therein having a common axis about which said movable plate rotates. and defining an artichoke receiving opening, at least three gripping arms engaging one of said stationary plates and said movable plate so that rotation of said movable plate relative to said stationary plates swings one end of each gripping arm into and out of said opening, a connecting rod for rotating said movable plate, and cam means driven by said turntable rotating means positioned to actuate said connecting rod to swing said gripping arms into said aperture to grip an artichoke.

2. In an automatic machine for the processing of artichokes comprising a base, a main turntable rotatably supported on said base by a main shaft, and a plurality of stations for treating artichokes successively spaced adjacent the peripheral portion of said turntable, the improvement which comprises:

a service turntable rotatably mounted near one side of said main table, with the peripheral portions of said tables overlapping at one point during their rotation, and said service turntable being provided with a plurality of artichoke receiving means spaced about its periphery.

said main turntable comprising a plurality of artichoke gripping means distributed about the peripheral portion of said main turntable and spaced from each other by a distance equal to the distance between said stations.

means for rotating said turntables intermittently and in synthronism to bring gripping means on said main turntable and artichoke receiving means on said service turntable periodically into vertical alignment where said turntables overlap, means for automatically transferring an artichoke from said receiving means to said gripping means when said alignment occurs, 7 said means for rotating said turntables comprising a wheel fixed to said main shaft, said wheel having a plurality of peripheral notches equal'in number to the number of artichoke gripping-means, a fork embracing said wheel, and mounted to oscillate about said main shaft, plunger means carried by said fork, and means for periodically urging said plunger into a notch in said wheel to cause said wheel to turn with said fork. 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 comprising intermittently actuated locking means connected to brake said wheel against rotation during those periods when said plunger means is not engaged in a notch. 

1. In an automatic machine for the processing of artichokes comprising a base, a main turntable rotatably supported on said base by a main shaft, and a plurality of stations for treating artichokes successively spaced adjacent the peripheral portion of said turntable, the improvement which comprises: a service turntable rotatably mounted near one side of said main table, with the peripheral portions of said tables overlapping at one point during their rotation, and said service turntable being provided with a plurality of artichoke receiving means spaced about its periphery, said main turntable comprising a plurality of artichoke gripping means distributed about the peripheral portion of said main turntable and spaced from each other by a distance equal to the distance between said stations, means for rotating said turntables intermittently and in synchronism to bring gripping means on said main turntable and artichoke receiving means on said service turntable periodically into vertical alignment where said turntables overlap, means for automatically transferring an artichoke from said receiving means to said gripping means when said alignment occurs, said gripping means comprising two superposed stationary plates with a movable plate rotatably mounted between them, said plates defining registering apertures therein having a common axis about which said movable plate rotates, and defining an artichoke receiving opening, at least three gripping arms engaging one of said stationary plates and said movable plate so that rotation of said movable plate relative to said stationary plates swings one end of each gripping arm into and out of said opening, a connecting rod for rotating said movable plate, and cam means driven by said turntable rotating means positioned to actuate said connecting rod to swing said gripping arms into said aperture to grip an artichoke.
 2. In an automatic machine for the processing of artichokes comprising a base, a main turntable rotatably supported on said base by a main shaft, and a plurality of stations for treating artichokes successively spaced adjacent the peripheral portion of said turntable, the improvement which comprises: a service turntable rotatably mounted near one side of said main table, with the peripheral portions of said tables overlapping at one point during their rotation, and said service turntable being provided with a plurality of artichoke receiving means spaced about its periphery, said main turntable comprising a plurality of artichoke gripping means distributed about the peripheral portion of said main turntable And spaced from each other by a distance equal to the distance between said stations, means for rotating said turntables intermittently and in synthronism to bring gripping means on said main turntable and artichoke receiving means on said service turntable periodically into vertical alignment where said turntables overlap, means for automatically transferring an artichoke from said receiving means to said gripping means when said alignment occurs, said means for rotating said turntables comprising a wheel fixed to said main shaft, said wheel having a plurality of peripheral notches equal in number to the number of artichoke gripping means, a fork embracing said wheel, and mounted to oscillate about said main shaft, plunger means carried by said fork, and means for periodically urging said plunger into a notch in said wheel to cause said wheel to turn with said fork.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 comprising intermittently actuated locking means connected to brake said wheel against rotation during those periods when said plunger means is not engaged in a notch. 